Social studies at Jubilee begin with an in-depth study of our community, and builds outward to encompass our city, our country and the world. We begin in the present, in the context of our particular neighborhood, and work our way backwards in time. Our goals in social studies reflect our mission “to build in students a sense of hope and responsibility, and a knowledge of their power to affect change in our community and the world.” By focusing on the strengths, struggles, collective accomplishments, and richness of culture of the African American community, students build a strong sense of identity, and of their place in history. Building on this foundation, they study communities with different cultures, from different time periods, and dealing with different external and internal forces. Our studies are year long, in-depth, interdisciplinary units which focus on examining cause and effect relationships, and the complex interaction of history, geography, politics and culture. By reflecting on both the past and present in different parts of the world, students are encouraged to imagine a better future for the world they are inheriting.
As students engage in scholarship they learn that with knowledge comes responsibility. Through celebrating the legacies of individuals and community groups who have taken great risks resisting injustice, students gain a sense of the power of their individual and collective voices to affect change.
Link to student created history textbook of the twentieth century: https://jubileeschool.wikispaces.com/